Memorial Day ceremonies planned in area

Numerous Memorial Day events are planned in the Brainerd lakes area this Sunday and Monday.

Brainerd's Memorial Day ceremony will begin at 8:30 a.m. Monday at the Laurel Street bridge. A wreath will be tossed into the Mississippi River in memory of those veterans lost at sea. A prayer will be given by Father Tony Wroblewski, the firing of a rifle salute by the Disabled American Veterans and taps being played by Archie Katchie.

What's closed Monday?

In observance of Memorial Day, post offices will be closed Monday. There will not be mail delivery.

Banks will be closed.

Grocery stores will be open regular business hours.

Convenience stores will be open regular business hours.

Retail stores will be open Monday.

Government offices, including Brainerd city offices, Baxter city offices and Crow Wing County offices, will be closed Monday.

The Brainerd Public Library will be closed Monday.

The Brainerd Dispatch business office will be closed Monday but newspapers will be delivered Monday and Tuesday.

There will be a short march to the All Veterans Memorial next to the Crow Wing County Courthouse where a wreath will be placed in honor of all U.S. veterans of the armed forces followed by a prayer from Wroblewski and taps by Katchie.

In honor of veterans of the Bataan Death March, a brief ceremony will be conducted at the Bataan Memorial, next to the National Guard Armory on Wright Street with the placing of a wreath by veterans of the Bataan Death March and a prayer by Wroblewski.

The Memorial Day parade will begin at 10 a.m., starting with lineup on First Avenue Northeast, proceeding east on D Street to Third Avenue Northeast and then north to Evergreen Cemetery where the final ceremony will be conducted. (In the event of adverse weather, the parade will be canceled and the alternate site for the additional ceremonies will be the Franklin Arts Center auditorium).

Prelude music will be by the Brainerd High School band under the direction of Chris Fogderud.

Master of ceremonies will be Dick Lyscio. Wroblewski will give the invocation.

Raising of the American flag with "Salute to the Colors" will be presented by the Brainerd High School band.

Pledge of Allegiance will be led by Katie Garin.

The national anthem will be by the Brainerd High School band.

Colors will be posted by the Disabled American Veterans and placing of memorial wreaths will be done by representatives of auxiliary units of veterans organizations such as Marine Corps, Disabled American Veterans, American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Military Order of Purple Heart, Blue Star Mothers and Daughters of American Revolution.

Greetings will be by Baxter Mayor Darrel Olson, Brainerd Mayor James Wallin and Crow Wing County Board Chair Rosemary Franzen and John Boeder, of Evergreen Cemetery Association.

Jessica Lange, American Legion Girl Stater, will deliver the Gettysburg Address.

Douglas Hendricks, Ret. Col. U.S. Marine Corps, will give the Memorial Day address.

A selection will be performed by the Brainerd High School band.

Benediction will be given by Wroblewski.

Retiring of the colors will be performed by veterans organizations.

Taps, with echo, will be done by the BHS band buglers.

Backus

BACKUS - The Backus American Legion and Auxiliary will conduct Memorial Day services Monday at cemeteries in Backus and Ponto Lake Township.

The tribute to deceased veterans who served their country will include a color guard rifle salute, laying of a memorial poppy wreath, singing of "America the Beautiful" and taps played by students of the Pine River-Backus School District. Services will begin at 10 a.m. in Backus and at Ponto Lake at 11 a.m.

Crosslake

CROSSLAKE - Crosslake Lutheran Church will again host a community observance of Memorial Day at 10 a.m. Sunday at the Outdoor Worship Center on Daggett Pine Road in Crosslake, across from the Crosslake Community Center.

Col. Richard A. Weaver, the commander of Camp Ripley, will be the guest speaker and also will speak at the 8:30 a.m. worship service, which will be held at Crosslake Lutheran Church that same morning. The church is on Route 66 in downtown Crosslake.

The Memorial Day celebration will feature patriotic music; a bugler playing taps, a contingent of American Legion veterans led by Joe Wiltsey firing an honorary salute to the dead and an aerial fly-over by the North Star Squadron, a group of four fixed wing aircraft flown by experienced pilots who participate in air shows throughout the Midwest. The leader of the squadron this year is Steve Knight, who has been an adviser to the Civil Air Patrol and now lives in Yankton, S.D.

Veterans from World War II to the present will be honored. The theme of the day is "Our continuing search for peace and goodwill among all people." People attending the ceremony may stay in their cars and listen to the service over the radio or sit outside on benches and chairs provided by the Outdoor Worship Center. Lawn chairs and blankets can be brought by the attendees.

The Crosslake American Legion is hosting a Memorial Day service May 25 at the Pine Woods Cemetery at 10:30 a.m. A flag will be raised and a wreath laid at its base. The service will have an invocation by Legion Chaplain John Repp and prayers by Pastor Leslie Uhrinak of Crosslake's Mission of the Cross Lutheran Church.

Hackensack

HACKENSACK - The Hackensack American Legion is conducting a service at 1 p.m. Sunday at Finnely Cemetery. The Legion will host a Memorial Day service and parade Monday, meeting at 9 a.m. at the Hackensack Legion and moving to the City Park for a dedication service at 9:30 a.m.

From there a parade will commence leading first to the Cass County Killed in Action Memorial for the first wreath presentation and remarks by Legion Chaplin Jim Stauffer. Then, the parade will continue to Boy River to honor the Navy deceased with a wreath presentation and firing squad honors. Finally, the parade will end with a memorial service at Hillcrest Cemetery led by Father Mark Coen.

In the event of rain the program will be held in the Hackensack Legion Hall.

Little Falls

LITTLE FALLS - A memorial ceremony at the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery will begin with an instrumental prelude by the Richfield Symphonic Band at 1:30 p.m. Sunday. The traditional Parade of Flags will open the formal program at 2 p.m. Representatives from many veteran organizations, posts and auxiliary units will be carrying colors in the parade.

Dr. James Tuorila will be the keynote speaker.

Placing of wreaths will be featured during the program. Following the program, the Little Falls American Legion Auxiliary Unit will host a reception and the Military Museum at Camp Ripley will be open.

The program is sponsored by the Minnesota State Veterans Memorial Association.

Longville

LONGVILLE - The VFW Sherman A. Yochum Post 772 of the Longville area is hosting a Memorial Day service at 9:30 a.m. Monday at the Longville Elementary School. From the school the service will march to the Riverside Cemetery led by the Northland Marching Band. At the service, Ret. Adm. Hank McKinney will speak and the Longville area community choir will sing.

Nisswa

NISSWA - Citizens of Nisswa will come together in a commemoration ceremony to honor a special class of heroes at noon Monday at the Nisswa American Legion. Guest speakers will include Sen. Paul Koering and Nisswa Mayor Brian Lehman. Jim Starkey of Post No. 627 will be master of ceremonies. The ceremony will begin by recognizing all families with members of their family currently serving in the military.

There will be a number of different events during the ceremony including a military fly-by of the 148th Fighter Wing out of Duluth. The Nisswa Elementary School conducted a Memorial Day Essay Contest. The top three winners will read their essay on "What Memorial Day means to me."

Brad Wallace and Jackie Kline from Grace United Methodist Church will perform renditions of the national anthem, "America the Beautiful," "There She Stands," and the "The Lord's Prayer." The daughters of Scott Thurlow, an active member of Post No. 627 who passed away last year, will throw a wreath into Nisswa Lake in honor of all who died at sea. Father Zeck will be the chaplain.

Pillager

PILLAGER - Memorial Day services will be 10 a.m. Monday at the Pillager School. Following the service, a short ceremony will be held at Wildwood and Gull River Cemeteries.

Pine River

PINE RIVER - The Pine River American Legion will hold a Memorial Day service at the Pine River Dam at 9:30 a.m. Monday. The service will then continue at the Pine River Cemetery at 10:30 a.m. and then move to the Swanburg Cemetery at 11:30 a.m.